Expelling factors for highly skilled citizens from the Southern European Border – Melilla, a case study

Since the beginning of the global crisis in 2008, over 200,000 Spaniards have left the country looking for better opportunities abroad. The Spanish government has for the first time admitted to a talent drain without precedent. However, except for the international variation, the phenomenon is not different from the trend experienced in many regions where the lack of qualified jobs has traditionally forced residents to emigrate, mainly within internal boundaries. The current research focuses on the Spanish city of Melilla (located in Northern Africa), where a scarce college offer forces six out of ten high-school graduates to move to the mainland to continue studying. The data do not go unnoticed by the local authorities, concerned to see how this temporary diaspora is becoming permanent. With information collected from quantitative and qualitative sources, we explore local economic and social factors underpinning the egression of highly skilled workers in this quite often forgotten city despite its geostrategic position (the only EU territory, along with Ceuta, on African soil). We frame the issue in the debate about the adaptation of education and training to labour market needs, especially in a European context that places knowledge at the heart of economic competitiveness.